Aug 15, 2015; Hamilton, Ontario, CAN; BC Lions vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Tim Hortons Field. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski
Brandon Banks shows versatility, scoring on offence and special teams
It had been five games (and two costly penalties) since Brandon Banks had scored on a return touchdown, but he snapped that slump on Saturday night. Banks scored two first half touchdowns, one of which was a 96-yard punt return, and another on a 45-yard reception. Early in the first quarter, on the fourth play of the Ticats first offensive drive, Banks hauled in a pass on the left sideline. A tackle short of the first down marker appeared imminent, but Banks showed another dimension to his game, breaking the tackle and scampering all the way to the Lions end zone for the score.
Speedy came through again in the second quarter, taking a Lions punt 96 yards to the house, breaking his five-game hiatus from that stats category. The return was the longest of the CFL season,
Ticats ball-hawking secondary closing in on league record
The Ticats secondary intercepted two more passes against the Lions, bringing their total up to 11 on the season. The defence officially tied a team record on Saturday night, recording their sixth interception return touchdown of the season. Erik Harris scored the team’s sixth of the season in the third quarter of the game against the Lions, tying the team record that was set in 1965.
With six pick sixes, the Ticats are closing in on the CFL record of seven interception touchdowns in a single season, set by Toronto in 2006. Along with Eric Norwood’s fumble return for a touchdown, Hamilton has now scored seven majors on the defensive side of the football through just seven games. The defensive scoring has been a difference-maker for the Ticats this season, especially at Tim Hortons Field, where they’ve been able to score early and often and take opposing teams out of the game early.
Tiger-Cats front seven dominant again
The big men on the Ticats defensive front stepped up yet again, recording four sacks just a week after a seven-sack performance against the Bombers. Justin Hickman and Eric Norwood were both involved for the second straight week, each bringing down Travis Lulay for a sack, while Bryan Hall recorded his first of the year in the second half. The Ticats recorded a total of four sacks in the game on Saturday night, nearly doubling the total allowed by the Lions (5) through their first six games this season.
The pass rush was not the only area where the defence showed up, as Ted Laurent got made his mark on the game with an early first-quarter strip of Andrew Harris. Busting into the Lions backfield, Laurent forced the ball out of Harris’ hands and right into Eric Norwood’s. The Ticats defensive end was off to the races, scoring the team’s third defensive touchdowns in the last two games, and their fifth of the season. Opposing teams continue to have no answer for the front seven of the Ticats, who have been lights out in 2015.
Eric Norwood and Simoni Lawrence stand out among front seven
In just three games since his return to the Tiger-Cats lineup, Eric Norwood has been nothing short of dominant. Norwood recorded another four tackles on the night, increasing his 2015 total to 15. The veteran defensive end found the quarterback for his fourth sack in three weeks, adding a touchdown on a fumble return. Through three games, Norwood has been a defensive force in the black and gold.
Simoni Lawrence was another defensive force on the night, recording seven tackles and a sack of Travis Lulay. Lawrence increased his team-leading tackle total to 31 through seven games. In his third season with the Ticats, Lawrence has again set himself apart as a leader on the defence, playing very strong midway through the season.
Zach Collaros continues to be Zach Collaros
It should surprise nobody that the Ticats pivot has made his way onto the list yet again; at this point, it’s like clockwork. Collaros was the epitome of efficiency on Saturday night, tossing for 290 yards on 19-for-23 passing and four touchdowns. The Ticats quarterback was remarkably accurate and composed in the game, completing 83% of his passes on the night, continuing his impressive season in that regard.
Collaros connected on four touchdowns to three different receivers, finding Luke Tasker in the end zone twice, and Underwood and Banks once each. The four touchdowns mark the fourth straight game the Hamilton quarterback has thrown for three or more TDs. Collaros has shown remarkable maturity leading the offence thus far in the season, making smart decisions with the football and connecting on the big plays when needed.
No Fantuz and Grant? No problem
Zach Collaros was missing his two top targets of 2015 on Saturday night, but that did not slow down the passing offence. Luke Tasker recorded his first (and second) touchdowns of the season, reeling in six receptions for 100 yards on the night. Tiquan Underwood filled in well for the injured Bakari Grant, hauling in a long 58-yard first-half score along with two other receptions for a total of 70 yards on the night. Terrence Toliver, Ray Holley, Brandon Banks and Terrell Sinkfield all pitched in on the receiving game as well, making the absence of the Ticats leading receivers negligible with their strong play. The outlook on Grant’s injury is uncertain, but the impact of Fantuz’s injury will be made much lighter if the other receivers on the roster continue to show up like they did on Saturday night.
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